Bahrain Mirror: Bilateral trade between Bahrain and the UK reached about £1.1 billion (2018-March 2019), according to latest figures revealed two days ago.

British Ambassador Roddy Drummond said he was looking for stronger engagements with Bahrain covering trade, security and culture.

During his four-year tenure he said he would look to expand the existing strong relationship between the two kingdoms.

"I know Bahraini companies and institutions have investments in the UK, and there are British companies here, so it's a two-way thing," he said.

"I want do more in education and also in energy sector in terms of future energy needs of Bahrain.

"Latest figures we have by the end of March suggest that two-way trade was about £1.1bn, of which 75 per cent was in goods and 25pc in services.

"This is up by 9pc from the previous year and we can see a steady growth in trade and investment and services for the last five years."

The diplomat said he was optimistic about future collaborations with Bahrain, especially with mega projects such as the Bahrain Metro and King Hamad Causeway.

"We have a very positive perspective about the opportunities here," said Mr. Drummond.

 "We will do whatever we can to develop discussions around investment, new technology and are excited to hear about plans such as the ICT (Information, Communications and Technology) development and 5G networks."

On Brexit, the diplomat said the UK will remain committed to Bahrain and other Gulf countries, indicating that "the clear stance we are taking is that Britain remains fully engaged with the world."

"You will see more British presence in the region, not less," he stressed.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he will seek a parliamentary vote on a new election if legislators pass a bill requesting an extension to Brexit beyond October 31.

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